Utah Open Lands announced this past weekend that they have reached an agreement with two branches of the Armstrong family to save the 19-acre Snow Ranch Pastures in Park City.
The agreement gives them until a deadline this December to raise the funding for a conservation easement.
In a press release, the organization said they have obtained an option agreement to purchase the Snow Ranch easement for $6 million—when the appraised value of the property is $16 million.
Their deadline is December 15th to raise the money. Utah Open Lands director Wendy Fisher said if they’re successful, the land “will be available for cranes and cows, but not condos.”
The press statement said the land, one of the last pieces of unprotected agriculture ground in city limits, is located between the hillside slopes to the west, and the golf course to the east. It is zoned for three lots an acre and is in a prime location for development.
The land dates back to a dairy operation in the 1920’s. In more recent days, said the statement, sandhill cranes and elk have been seen there.
Fisher said she’s known Kerry, Herb and Mel Armstrong for many years, and conservation has always been a strong value of theirs.
In the press statement, Herb’s son Dustin Christianson said “If this were about the money, we wouldn’t be talking to Utah Open Lands. We would be talking to developers.”
Fisher said they’re relying on support from the community. Donations can be made online at utahopenlands.org
